NATO countries need to be on red alert for war and “expect the unexpected,” the chair of the alliance’s military committee of national chiefs Rob Bauer said Wednesday.

“In order to be fully effective, also in the future, we need a warfighting transformation of NATO,” said Bauer during a meeting of military chiefs in Brussels. “For this too, public-private cooperation will be the key.”

Bauer, a Dutch admiral, said allies need to “focus on effectiveness” and ramp up defense readiness with more exercises, industry partnerships and troops on high alert.